CCS boys volleyball: Bellarmine wins a thriller over St. Francis

Bellarmine College Prep overcame a two-set deficit to defeat reigning champion St. Francis in the quarterfinals of the Central Coast Section Division I boys volleyball playoffs Thursday night.

The scores were 25-27, 23-25, 25-22, 25-16, 18-16.

In a rematch of last season’s Division I final, which St. Francis won in five sets, third-seeded Bellarmine faced a match point in the fifth and decisive set, trailing 15-14. But the Bells scored four of the next five points to keep their season alive.

Bellarmine will play Archbishop Mitty, which beat the Bells in the West Catholic Athletic League tournament final last week, in the semifinals Saturday at 1 p.m. at Independence High.

Archbishop Mitty def. San Benito: Tanner Vinson had 17 kills to lift second-seeded Archbishop Mitty to a 25-17, 25-13, 25-13 victory over San Benito. The Monarchs now must beat Bellarmine for the fourth time this season in as many tries to reach the final.

Mountain View’s Ryan McLaughlin sets the ball in the third set of a quarterfinal sweep of Oak Grove on Thursday.(Kirstina Sangsahachart/staff)